Are we old?

Are we old?

This is an eternal question, at least in my mind. What is being old? Is it the number of years we live or lived or the way our bodies behave?

Are we old for ourselves or are we old because other people see us that way and they communicate this observation to us.

My mind does not want to believe that I am old but my body tells me otherwise. Bending down is not that easy (actually bending down is easy it is the straightening up what's difficult), I walk with a cane because I have a slight balance problem, I am not as strong as I used to be and I don't (can't) run any longer. There are a few more things but I don't want to bore my friends. They probably have the same or more.

Now, are these symptoms of aging or they are just issues? I look into the bathroom mirror and don't see an old man but just me who didn't change in years. There are people who are much younger than us but behave as real oldies, and then there are people with a lots of years behind them who behave like youngsters.

When I reached age 50, AARP started sending me their publication and was offering membership. This was the first sign for  my aging. Actually, the membership fee was quite cheap so I took them on.

Ok, I look at things that I would have liked to do in life and then realize that they will not be done and I just have to accept that there will be no time left. Just because they were not done in the first 80 years they might still get done in the next 80! But that also can mean that I am just sensible, I also have to accept that by all logical thinking, I have less ahead of me than behind me.

So again, are we old because others tell us that we are old?